Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat has promised to secure the trekking route to the Kedarnath Temple in the Garhwal Himalayas through extensive use of latest technology.
Apart from ensuring 24x7 mobile connectivity on the entire yatra track, the State government will take satellite feeds round-the-clock for accurate weather forecasts, Mr. Rawat told The Hindu here on Thursday.
“I can assure visitors that this time the yatra will be safer than ever before. We are using the latest technologies available to ensure better human coverage. While jawans of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) will accompany pilgrims to assist them, we will ensure 100 per cent tele-connectivity on the entire trekking route,” said Mr. Rawat, who has been closely monitoring preparations for the “Char Dham Yatra” during the election campaign.
The State government has planned to regulate the movement of pilgrims for the Kedarnath Yatra from May 4. Pilgrims will be made to halt at night at “safer places” designated by the security forces.
“We are better prepared to meet any eventuality this time. The jawans of the ITBP and the SDRF will man the entire yatra route to ensure the safety of pilgrims, and dedicated helicopters will be kept on standby for any sudden evacuation. Similarly, stocks of medicines and food would be maintained at key locations for better and immediate response in case of any crisis,” Mr. Rawat said.
Another important decision is the deployment of security personnel for patrolling the Chorabari Lake, also known as Gandhi Sarovar, just above the Kedarnath Temple. “We would set up a watch tower near the lake and install communication equipment there so that we can get constant information about its water level,” the Chief Minister said.
